Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, by Richard Hakluyt

An extract taken out of the map12 of Sebastian Cabot, cut by
Clement Adams, concerning his discouery of the West Indies, which is to be seene in her Maiesties priuie gallerie at
Westminster, and in many other ancient merchants houses.

The same in English.

In the yeere of our Lord 1497 Iohn Cabot a Venetian, and his sonne Sebastian (with an English fleet set out from
Bristoll) discouered that land which no man before that time had attempted, on the 24 of Iune,13 about fiue of the clocke early in the morning. This land he called Prima vista, that is to say,
First seene, because as I suppose it was that part whereof they had the first sight from sea. That Island which lieth
out before the land, he called the Island of S. Iohn vpon this occasion, as I thinke, because it was discouered vpon
the day of Iohn the Baptist. The inhabitants of this Island vse to weare beasts skinnes, and haue them in as great
estimation as we haue our finest garments. In their warres they vse bowes, arrowes, pikes, darts, woodden clubs, and
slings. The soile is barren in some places, and yeeldeth litle fruit, but it is full of white beares, and stagges farre
greater then ours. It yeeldeth plenty of fish, and those very great, as seales, and those which commonly we call
salmons: there are soles also aboue a yard in length: but especially there is great abundance of that kinde of fish
which the Sauages call baccalaos. In the same Island also there breed hauks, but they are so blacke that they are very
like to rauens, as also their partridges, and egles, which are in like sort blacke.

12 In the National Library, Paris, is a large map of the world on the
margin of which is written:

I give a facsmile of part of this map. As will be seen the words “Prima tierra vista” are opposite a cape about the
48th parallel, which would be Cape Breton. In a letter written to the Duke of Milan by Raimondo di Soncino, his
minister in London, and dated the 18th Dec. 1497, a very interesting account is given of Cabot’s voyage. Archives of
Milan. Annuario scientifico, Milan, 1866 p 700.